Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti criticizes Angel Di Maria while praising Toni Kroos

Angel Di Maria is not missed at Real Madrid, says Carlo Ancelotti.

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti insists that their summer signing Toni Kroos is what didn’t make the Italian coach nervous following departure of Angel Di Maria and Xabi Alonso in the last transfer window.

During an interview with radio station Al Primer Torque, when asked if new signing James Rodriguez would be able to fill in Di Maria’s boots, Ancelotti said, as quoted by Marca, “People should think twice before saying that James can fill Di María’s boots because they’re very different players.”

He adds, “Di María could take matches by storm with his energy, but he also used to lose control sometimes, misplacing important passes.”

He then went on to hail the performance of German midfielder Toni Kroos who signed for the Madrid-based club from Bayern Munich.

“I wasn’t nervous when Alonso and Di Maria left. I already got Toni Kroos,” Ancelotti insists. “Toni Kroos is a professor, made at the University of Xabi Alonso. I've been surprised by the fact that he never gets on edge. He always plays the same way, whatever the pressure. He's very important: a lot of our play goes through him.”

"What's more, he's still very young. He plays at pace, always picks the right pass, doesn't lose the ball and wins back possession," he adds.